Head movement control device for golfers



Aug. 23, 1966 H. NOVACK HEAD MOVEMENT CONTROL DEVICE FOR GOLFERS FiledSept. 6, 1963 INVENTOR. //)MAN /V0 VA cK W Q..TM, Arrows/5;

United States Patent 3,268,228 HEAD MOVEMENT CONTROL DEVICE FOR GOLFERSHyman Novack, University City, Mo. (8308 Amherst, St. Louis 32, M0.)Filed Sept. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 387,056 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-183) In the gameof golf, much attention is directed at the development of a properswing. In a proper swing, the golfer is required to hold his headsubstantially motionless and to fix his eyes upon the ball, during thebackswing, the swing, and part of the follow through. In fact, mostgolfers, including professionals, fail to exercise proper head controland during the various portions of the swing, permit their head to moveand their eyes to wander.

It is the object of this invention to provide a device which a golfermay wear with little or no discomfort to himself and which will functionto keep the golfers head still and his eyes fixed during the requiredportion of the golf swing.

With the above and other objects in view, which will become immediatelyapparent upon reading the specification, my invention resides in thenovel features of form, construction, arrangement and combination ofparts presented in the following description and stated in the annexedclaim.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a right handed golfing aid embodyingmy invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of myinvention adapted for attachment to regular eye glasses for use by aright handed golfer.

Referring now in more detail and by reference character to the drawings,which illustrate preferred embodiments of my invention, A designates agolfing aid comprising a spectacle frame provided on opposing ends withconventional pivotally attached bows 12, 14. The spectacle frame 10includes a right eye piece 16, a nose bridge 18, and a left eye piece20, all fabricated of opaque material.

Located in the upper half of the right eye piece 16 is a rectangularaperture 22. Similarly located in the upper half of the left eye piece20 is a second rectangular aperture 24.

The golfing aid A as depicted is for use by a right handed golfer whonormally would have his left side presented to the golfing green and hisright side presented away from the golfing green. The aperture 22 issized smaller in width than the aperture 24, and the two apertures arelocated in the complementary upper quadrants of the frame 10.

The exact location of the apertures 22, 24 may vary from golfer togolfer in minor increments, but it has been found that generally thelocation of said apertures as described herein will permit satisfactoryoperation of the golfing aid.

In operation, the golfer dons the aid A in the manner of conventionalspectacles. The apertures 22 and 24 have been located on the eye piecein such manner that the golfer must keep his chin down and his head inthe correct position to view the ball. 'During the backswing, if thegolfers head moves away from the correct position, sight of the ballwill be lost. The same will hold true during the swing and during thefollow through. When the golfer loses sight of the ball during anyportion of the backswing, the swing or the follow through, he willbecome immediately notified that he has improperly movedhis head'and hemay stop his swing atthat particular instant.

This invention has been tried by both proficient and inexperiencedgolfers and has been found to be of substantial benefit to both. Ofcourse, should a left handed golfer desire to use the device, the sizeof the apertures 22 and 24 may be interchanged so that the largeraperture is always presented towards the green and the smaller apertureis presented away from the green.

Referring again to the drawing, FIGURE 2 represents a second embodimentof my invention, adapted for use by golfers who wear glasses. In FIGURE2, B represents a golfing aid comprising a right eye piece 50, a lefteye piece 52, and a supporting frame 54. Laterally outwardly from theright eye piece 50, the frame 54 is conventionally provided with clips56, 58 and 60 and similarly laterally outwardly from the left eye piece52 the frame 54 is conventionally provided with spaced clips 62, 64 and66, which said clips are adapted for engaging the outer periphery of aconventional pair of spectacles (not shown) and remaining fixed thereto.The right eye piece 50 is substantially opaque and is provided with anaperture 68 comprising a narrow, rectangular base portion 70 and alaterally extending upper portion 72, the base portion 70 and upperportion 72 being merged together to give a general T-shaped appearancein the manner best seen in FIGURE 2.

Similarly, the left eye piece 52 is provided with an aperture 74comprising a substantially wider rectangular base portion 76 and asimilarly constructed laterally extending upper portion 78, the baseportion 76 and upper portion 78 merging together to form a generallyT-shaped aperture as best seen in FIGURE 2. The base portions 70 and 76of the apertures 68 and 74, respectively, are identical in constructionand location to the apertures 22 and 24 on the golfing aid A andfunction in substantially the same way. The upper portions 72, 78 of theapertures 68, 74, respectively, enable a golfer, through his peripheralvision, to be aware of the presence and proximity of other golfersaround him while simultaneously permitting him to direct his primaryattention to the ball.

It will be noted that the upper portions 72, 78 are along the uppermargins of each aperture so that the golfer will be unable to lower hishead sufficiently to view the golf ball through the said upper portions72, 78, and he will use the slot portions 72, 7-8 of said aperture,respectively solely for the purpose of exercising peripheral vision toprevent any injuries to nearby golfers or spectators.

Of course, the apertures 22, 24, may be provided with similar upperportions 72, 78, if desired, without changing the nature and principleof my invention, and similarly, the relative size of the apertures 68,74, may be interchanged'for left handed golfers, without changing thenature or principle of my invention.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form,construction, arrangement and combination of parts of the golfing aidsmay be made and substituted for those herein shown and described withoutdeparting from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire and seek to secure byLetters Patent is recited in the following claim:

A golfing aid comprising a frame, first and second opaque eyepiecessecured to said frame, said first eyepiece including a first aperturehaving a first rectangularly 53 shaped lower portion and a firstlaterally extending upper portion, said second eyepiece including asecond aperture having a second rectangularly shaped lower portion and alaterally extending upper portion, the upper portions of each of saidapertures being substantially wider than the respective lower portionsand the first lower portion being substantially wider than said sec-0ndlower portion, and means for holding said frame in fixed position withrespect to a human, said first and second lower portions being locatedin adjacent upper quadrants of the respective eyepieces, each of saidapertures being substantially smaller than said eyepieces, and beingsurrounded on all sides by the opaque material comprising saideyepieces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,206,132 11/1916Otte 2-44 1,605,418 11/1926 Wittkopf 128-76.S X 1,637,406 8/ 1927Brurnder. 2,410,490 11/1946 Flocker 2-14 10 DYELBERT B. LOWE, PrimaryExaminer.

G. J. MARLO, Assistant Examiner.

